In The Arms Of An Angel
by ABDonovan
Summary: Two months after the apocalypse is diverted, AnnaBeth struggles with the loss of Sam. Castiel wants to be there for her, but how can she trust an Angel after everything Heaven and Hell has taken from her? Sam W./OC Dean/OC Castiel/Sam/OC
1. Chapter 1: And life goes on

AnnaBeth sat up from the bed, placing her hand roughly on the mattress next to her. It wasn't a dream this time, either. The terror…and death of the apocalypse was real, and Sam was gone. She knew Sam was gone. She had known it for months, now, but she still couldn't let him go in her dreams. Hell, she couldn't let him go, outside of her dreams. At least today, she didn't wake up screaming…

Throwing her legs over the side of the bed, she slipped her feet into a tattered pair of combat boots, straightened her oversized tshirt 'gown', and trudged off to the bathroom. This was the day to day. Every morning, the same routine, get up, brush teeth, wet hair, dress, and go searching. She honestly had no clue what she was searching for. Part of her was still searching for a way to get Sam back, and part of her was just searching for a life. Dean had seen the right side of things. Dean had done exactly what Sam had asked. He was living an apple pie life, with some beautiful woman, and her kid. Part of AnnaBeth wanted to be happy for him. Part of her wanted to call him a deserter, or a traitor, for leaving the business. Though, there wasn't much she could say for herself that would justify calling Dean anything. The second the hole closed over Sam, Lucifer, and Michael, AnnaBeth ran. She ran…and ran…until her legs couldn't carry her anymore, and ended up being picked up and helped by an old man. However, in searching for AnnaBeth, the demons had murdered the poor old man in his sleep, leaving her alone, once again.

So, that's where the story begins for her. She loved. She lost. It's the same story for most people, only this story isn't as clean cut. Things don't end, because love ends. Sometimes, it's just the beginning.

She pressed the button on one of the homemade bombs across the window, and pulled the wire out, before doing the same to the hallway. After she had disarmed the part of the house she was using, he stepped into the bathroom and began her morning routine.

Staring at herself in the mirror, she sighed, and ran a wet hand down her face. Who knew what would be ahead of her, now. Lucifer was gone. The apocalypse was over, for now. What else was there? There were the rest of the sorry souls that didn't stand a chance up next to the monsters they faced, before the apocalypse. Those monsters were still just as present and just as dangerous as before, and humanity, for the most part, was still just as doomed. That's why she kept going. Sam didn't want any of them to give up. He told Dean what he thought Dean would want to hear from him. Dean gave up too soon. Dean was weak…and an idiot…

"Dean only followed the request…", came a familiar voice from behind AnnaBeth. The soft padding of dress shoes across the wooden floor made her close her eyes. Castiel had a way of dropping in on folks when they least expected it. He always had, "…there is no need to hold a grudge against someone who is happy. Everyone deserves…"

"Screw you…", AnnaBeth whispered softly. Two months later and the wounds were just as fresh, if not more sore as before. Castiel being here was like pouring a canister of salt into them, and rubbing it in slowly. He was just a reminder of the angels, and their power.

"I doubt that would make your soul feel less regret. You should rest, like Dean. The angels are taking care of everything…", Castiel said softly, stepping towards her and holding a hand out in front of him to touch her arm. He wanted to help her, to take care of her, for Sam.

AnnaBeth whipped around quick enough for her wet hair to sling water across Castiel's face, "The ANGELS? The angels, right…The ones who wanted this all to happen and let it happen. The ones that stood back like their hands were tied, while Sam gave everything to save…what?"

"HUMANITY! Sam did what he felt was his place to do. Why can't you understand? You of ALL people should understand. He saved the universe, rather than to watch it burn. Everyone…every single person on earth would have perished, if not for…", Castiel started, before sighing at his interrupter.

"I would rather have burned beside him, than be held back like a child, while he jumped into a hole to save…whatever is left of this fucking planet. I would still…give up everything…FIGHT EVERYTHING…to get a glimpse of his face. I just want to know that there is a chance for him…"

"There isn't…", Castiel said softly. He still felt that the bandaid effect was better than drawing things out. Either way, it's going to hurt. There is no point to making it hurt longer, "…Things don't work the same way in hell that they do here. You don't just…come out unscathed…"

"Dean did…", AnnaBeth said, biting her lip to fight back the tears. She was pretty good at holding back emotions, but this was killing her, "…You reached in there and you pulled him out without a scratch. You can't TELL me that it's not possible, now…"

"It took SEVERAL…angels to bring Dean Winchester from hell. He wasn't nearly as well guarded as Sam will be. Sam is with Lucifer…The keepers of that cage will do ANYTHING to keep Lucifer in. They will kill anyone…and everyone who tries to permeate it…", Castiel said, his face turning red from frustration.

"I'm willing to risk that…", AnnaBeth sneered to Cas. The look she received in return caused her heart to skip a beat. Castiel's facial expression, if coming from Dean, would have caused her to step away, in fear of being punched like a man. Suddenly, her hair was blown back by the fluttering of wings. Cas was gone, "Shit…SHIT!"


	2. Chapter 2: Back to business

Throwing on an old tattered shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans, AnnaBeth drug herself to the front of the house, disarming another bomb. She sat down at the small table and pulled out one of the moth eaten books that Bobby Singer had borrowed to her, dropping it heavily on the surface and flipping it open. The day to day was exhausting. Today, she was dealing with a haunted house that seemed to be pretty close to her. Three people had gone into the house for an overnight stay 'with the dead', and nothing was returned of them. There were no bodies, flashlights, not even a pillow. Even to a hunter, this sounded strange.

The book she had borrowed was a record of all of the milling houses in the area. Families back in the days of this property owned mills and crop rows for miles and miles. Their ancestors and children died in the houses, gave birth in the houses, and even murdered people in the houses. The more she read, the less exciting or shocking this whole thing became. This particular milling family, the Swansons, was a violent group of moonshiners from the early 1920s. By violent, they meant murderous. In the days of the moonshine boom, in America, the moonshiners were like drug dealers. You didn't cross them, or attempt to welch money from them, or you ended up dead. Most importantly, you disappeared. So, what were these kids doing to disappear?

Giving a long hard look to the distance, AnnaBeth drifted into a daydream of working a haunted place with Dean and Sam. Quickly shaking the thought from her head, she turned her attention back to the book, and then to a bottle of whiskey perched on top of the table.

No sooner had she poured the glass of whiskey, did the doorbell ring. Standing from the table, she raised both eyebrows, and went into protection mode. AnnaBeth reached into one of Sam's jackets she had perched on the back of a chair, and pulled out a shiny pistol. This wasn't just any pistol. It was Sam Winchester's 1924 Colt .45 Semi Auto. The barrel was engraved with intricate sigils and vines, and the handle was inlaid with mother of pearl. A gun like this could easily be pawned for over $30,000, but it was the last remaining piece of Sam she owned.

Sneaking to the door, she pressed on the wall beside it, which opened a trap door and lead to a gunsafe. There, she pulled out a sawed off 12 gauge shotgun, pressing the release and opening the barrel. When she was satisfied that the gun was loaded with shot, and not salt, she pressed it to the door, and cracked the door open, very little.

Sighing, she lowered the shotgun and placed the safety back on her pistol, before stepping back and unlocking the chains on the door, "What do you want, Mika…?"

(Sorry for the short Chapter, guys! I am busy with finals, but I wanted to get a chapter posted. The next chapter will be a bit of a collaboration between myself and my best friend, Mika. So, I hope you enjoy! Please leave a review, if you don't mind!)


	3. Chapter 3: We build these walls

Standing in the doorway with the same smug look on her face that Dean Winchester often wore, was AnnaBeth's best friend, Mika. It had been forever, it seemed, since she had seen Mika, and quite honestly, she wasn't the happiest to have her showing up at her door. Mika had changed, as well. Her legs, at one time, were adorned with fake leather leggings, and her body used to be hoisted onto seven inch heels, even when she wore jeans. Now, she was clad in a pair of bootcut blue jeans, and pretty normal looking shoes. Her once streaked hair was a solid black, and was even showing signs of aging, even at her young age. The low cut tank and vest that barely used to cover her chest was replaced with a jersey and knit jacket, looking very similar to something Sam would have worn. It was a big switch, for AnnaBeth, but by the way she stood, Mika was definitely still Mika. Unarming the alarm, AnnaBeth opened the door a little and stepped back, with yet another sigh.

"What kind of way is that to greet an old friend aye?", Mika replied to Annabeth. AnnaBeth noticed Mika checking her out, and seeing her tattered appearance seemed rather alarming to Mika. Instead of making a fuss, AnnaBeth just walked back over to her table.

"I'm guessing you didn't know about Cas checking up on me? I mean…why should I be happy to see any of you after that visit?", she mumbled, slightly annoyed. Mika pushed her way into the house, as if she was welcomed by right. She looked around the room and grimaced at the décor and the state of the place.

"What?", AnnaBeth snapped at her.

Mika ran her finger along the mantle, and pulled it back with a gross look on her face, "You actually live here? It's no wonder Cas sent me…"

"Cas sent you? For what? Hasn't he harassed me enough with his 'angel' bullshit?" AnnaBeth almost felt bad for the way she was welcoming Mika. It had been so long since they had seen each other, and after what had happened with Dean and everything else, she really should give her a break. AnnaBeth had met Mika when she met the Winchesters. The whirlwind that followed, was what made them so close. Over that time, she learned that Mika and Dean were lovers from childhood, and they were basically meant for each other. Time and the apocalypse ripped them apart, and he ended up with Lisa. She honestly expected Mika to be in much worse shape than herself. So, her current shape was refreshing.

Mika perched herself against the table, crossing her legs to balance her weight and smirking, "He seems to think that you're heading down a…not so healthy path. He said you were distant and wreckless. I mean…what have you been doing, in this time?"

Mika picked up the open book and rolled her eyes, "Really? You're hunting…alone. And this episode of AnnaBeth trying to get herself killed, is murderous moonshiner ghosts. Woo…sounds delightfully…STUPID! Look, kid, you can't keep doing this to yourself. You're going to get yourself killed…and I…"

"Do you think I really care, at this point? Do you think that anything really matters, anymore? I have busted my ass from day one…attempting in every angle, while Dean sits on his ass, to find Sam. I have to find him…So…", AnnaBeth ripped the book from Mika's hands and slammed it shut on the top of the table, "…if you're here to start the same damn pity party that everyone else has tried, hang it up…Bobby has already called…and that's all you had to do…"

Mika held her hands up in defense, trying to fend off the harsh lecture that AnnaBeth had started, "Hey, hey! A.B…". She sighed and gave a long pause, causing AnnaBeth to raise her eyebrows and tap her whiskey glass on the table out of boredom, "Look, I came as a favor to a friend. I owe Cas a lot, and I want to help you. I can't sit back and watch you get yourself killed. I remember a day when you actually cared about what I had to say. I remember when you…just cared."

AnnaBeth gave a loud scoff to the words she was hearing. Those days were long gone, and Mika should have known that, before walking into this house. AnnaBeth used to be scared, but she also used to be very powerful. She used to think that Mika and the rest could help her…maybe even save her from everything…but she was wrong. She was wrong about everything, and now she owed it to Sam. She owed everything she had, to Sam. So, she was going to get him out of Hell, one way or another.

"Yeah? Well, times have changed. The world isn't the same place…and I'm not the same kid you used to know. I actually have things that I HAVE to do, like finding Sa-…", she broke off her sentence, attempting to change the subject with a scold, "Don't you have somewhere to be? Surely Bobby has you running after something…he always did…"

"Mhm…", Mika said in an unconvinced voice. AnnaBeth was sure of it. Mika knew exactly what she was trying to do, and now she would go running around trying to stop her, "Well…you go ahead and push us all away. Do your thing, and be like Dean. That's fine with me, but remember that I was here. Remember that we still love you as much as we did before all of this, and I'm still here for you. Okay?"

AnnaBeth didn't make a move, even though the back of her throat began to cramp up, like she wanted to cry. Swallowing heavily, she looked down at the glass that she was now twirling on it's edge with her mind.

"Take this…it has my new number on it. If you need anything…or just someone to talk to, I'm here. Castiel is worried. You could give him a bit of a break too. He has been busting his balls to get Sam out, since day one. So, I'm not going to let you off that easily…He loves you too, you know…"

Those weren't the words AnnaBeth wanted to hear at all. Her heart sunk into her stomach and she wrinkled her nose, before looking up at Mika, and taking the card she was holding, "Yeah? Well, maybe people need to just…stop loving people so much…I don't know what to tell you, now. I mean, what do you want to hear?"

"What do I want to hear? What I, and everyone else wants to hear, is that you are safe. We want to know that you're not going to go off and get yourself killed trying to bring Sam back. I mean, look at you. You are a female version of John Winchester. For someone who thinks everyone should stop 'loving so much', you sure do seem to love Sam. You're wearing his clothes…and you kept his jacket…you have his gun sitting on the table next to you. God knows what else you have of his. You can't let him go, just like we can't let you go. What are your plans? Let me guess…bust Sam out of hell, with your give em hell attitude. What then? Is he human? Are you human, anymore? You're acting just like I did, when I had no SOUL!", Mika ranted, her face becoming a bit red from the lack of breathing. AnnaBeth's dam holding her tears back, finally broke as Mika stood and made her way to the door. She turned around for a single moment, looked back and didn't make eye contact, "Like I said, the phone works both ways, and you have my number. I'm only a phone call and a few dollars of gas money away…"

With that, AnnaBeth bit her lip and poured a glass of whiskey as Mika closed the door.

**(I want to credit my best friend, Mika for helping me with this chapter. She's already my inspiration. So, it's no surprise! REVIEW AND ENJOY!)**


	4. Chapter 4: Saving Grace, A Familiar Face

AnnaBeth covered her ears as the old haunted house was filled with shrieks that could have broken the windows, were there any. Bending double and covering her ears, she attempted to look up from under her hair at the source of the screams. A large woman, in a bonnet and blood stained dress stood before her, loading an old revolver with .22 bullets. While AnnaBeth knew she couldn't be shot by a ghost, part of her panicked at the sight. She crawled to her duffle bag and began rummaging for the lighter fluid she had stowed away inside. Before she could pull it out, a loud snap, followed by a sharp pain ripping through her side, caused her to fall to the ground, coughing and groaning. She had been shot. Holy hell…she had…been shot. How could a ghost fire a gun? She knew that ghosts could move objects, and make noises, but not fire weapons. The thought was puzzling, but at this point, she didn't know, and she didn't really care how it happened. If she didn't hurry, she could die, defeating the whole purpose of being here.

Standing, with some effort, AnnaBeth grabbed her duffel bag and limped over to the kitchen, slamming the large oak framed door behind her. As she collapsed to the ground, she pulled a small gold band from her jacket pocket, laying it on the ground and coughing a bit. The room was beginning to spin and everything she touched became drenched in blood. Reaching into the bag once more, she pinched some salt that had gathered on the bottom, attempting to keep it from sticking to her fingers and grabbed the lighter fluid. Her heart pounded faster and faster, the longer she bled on the floor, and she could feel her consciousness leaving her. The screeching started up again, just as she was beginning to flick the old zippo lighter.

"Come on, you son of a bitch…LIGHT!", she screamed in a raspy attempt at anger, as the fire rose from the lighter and the ring went up in a blaze. The screech continued, until AnnaBeth assumed that the ghost was long gone, as silence ensued. She gave into her need of rest, and collapsed on the floor, her face slamming into the tile below her. In the haze of unconsciousness, he could see a pair of boots padding towards her. They were large, and belonged to a man. She was turned over, onto her back, and a pair of strong arms pushed underneath her, lifting her from the ground.

"Hey…stay with me. Look at me. You're ok. You're going to be fine…You're going to be…", a familiar voice cooed to her. The voice was colder than she remembered, but it was definitely familiar. Letting a few painful tears roll down her cheek, she smiled, focusing her eyes on the face above her. His head was encircled in a halo, from the lights that passed over him as he opened the door and ran out. The shaking of his movements made AnnaBeth want to scream out in agony, but instead, she smiled.

"Sam?...", she whispered, as they were blasted onto the grass. The house went up in a tall inferno, catching the trees and random shrubs around it on fire. The blast had blown herself and her savior into the gravel of the driveway, and she was out.

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Waking up was hell. AnnaBeth looked around, blinking the blindness of the dark from her eyes, the best she could. It took her several moments to realize that she was at home, in bed. She performed her usual ritual of patting the bed beside her. As per usual, nothing was there. Sighing, she assumed the whole battle had been a dream. There was no crazy, homicidal ghost. There was no fire, or gunshot. There was no Sam. However, she was proven wrong, relatively quick. While sitting up to head to the bathroom, the gunshot wound shifted, and a few stitches ripped, causing her to moan loudly into the darkness.

What? How could that be? That meant…Holy shit. AnnaBeth tore from the bed, as fast as her feet would carry her, running to the bathroom and flipping on the light. As she lifted her blood stained tank top, her breath caught in her throat. It was real. It was all real. Sam…the blast…the gunshot…SAM!

She had to go back. Some dumb idea inside her brain, was telling her to return to the house. Maybe Sam would show back up. Maybe, just maybe he was fine. Then again…maybe he was just haunting the house. Either way, she was going back. She threw the shower curtain back, bending with effort, and turned the shower head on. Before letting the water warm up, she stepped inside, and began washing her fiery locks. The adrenaline rushing through her almost caused her to forget that she was in an immense amount of pain. In fact, in all the excitement, she had opened the wound. The water at her feet glowed orange in the dim light of the bathroom.

"Shit…", she gasped, touching the inflamed wound. This wasn't the worst pain she had endured, but it was the most annoying. In her head, she wished Cas was here. Cas could patch this thing up with a touch, and she would be on her way. Sighing, she grabbed her towel from the curtain rod, and wrapped it around her, stepping out of the tub.

"Hello, AnnaBeth…", came Castiel's voice, ripping through the pleasant silence of the bathroom. AnnaBeth screamed, jumping back from the Angel and almost falling back into the tub.

"Castiel! What the hell are you doing here?", she shrieked, pulling the towel tighter around her in an attempt at protection. Cas turned quickly towards the door, embarrassed and ashamed.

"I am sorry to have shown up in such a…an inappropriate place. I heard your call…", he said in a rather ashamed voice.

"I didn't…I didn't call you! Why would I?", AnnaBeth yelled again, stepping up to the sink and running her hand across the mirror.

"You said…you wished I was here. You wanted me to help you with your…wound."

"Oh..well, that would be pleasant.", AnnaBeth said in a hushed tone. She WAS thankful he was here. She just wasn't thankful he showed up just in time to stop her from returning to the house.

Castiel turned around, reluctantly, and stepped up behind her. His breath on her neck was warm and pleasant. The smell radiating off of his jacket, smelled a lot like Dean. Of course it did. Dean had taught him everything he knew about being human. AnnaBeth sighed at the closeness, and shook all the thoughts that were filling her head and apparently making Castiel feel uncomfortable, by the look on his face. He pulled his sleeve up, slightly, and reached around her neck to her forehead. With a touch, the pain and blood disappeared from her side, and she was as good as new.

"There. You will be fine…and I should go…", Castiel said in an uncomfortable voice. AnnaBeth lowered her eyes to the counter, no longer feeling the need to go to the house. Right now, she felt the need to sleep. Had Cas placed ideas into her head? At the moment, she felt too tired to care, but she couldn't let him leave. Not now.

"Please stay. I don't want to be alone, right now. I think…I think I'm tired of being alone.", AnnaBeth whispered, turning and grabbing his pinky. Castiel looked down at his shoes, and nodded, before opening the door.

"Alright…", he mumbled, walking out of the bathroom, "…I will stay until you fall asleep."

AnnaBeth smiled a little, brushing her wet hair behind her ears, "Thanks, Cas."

**(I hope everyone likes this chapter. It didn't turn out quite as I had hoped it would, but I like it. I wanted to show AnnaBeth changing, because of the hope that Sam was alive. REVIEW AND ENJOY!)**


	5. Chapter 5: Don't Be So Serious

Ch 5

As AnnaBeth exited the bathroom, she could almost feel the tension in the air. Castiel had a way of bringing tension, even when he meant well. He was just a little uptight, naturally, she figured. Turning the corner to walk into the bedroom, she smirked at the sight. Castiel stood, arms at his side and head straight, looking out the window of the small bedroom. His eyes didn't blink, and his stance looked like that of an action figure. AnnaBeth took a few steps into the bedroom, her bare feet smacking against the wooden floor. Surely, he hadn't been standing there, or wasn't planning to stand there the whole time she was sleeping.

"Cas?", she whispered, her voice cutting through the tension and ripping the silence in which Castiel had engulfed himself in half. Not turning, Castiel closed his eyes, apparently ashamed of something. AnnaBeth walked the rest of the floor length, slowly, stepping up behind him. She did not touch or make a move towards him. However, her presence seemed to make the tension thicker, "Cas, are you alright?"

"I'm fine…you should sleep…", Castiel murmured, opening his eyes and returning his gaze to the window.

"Well, you should…relax.", AnnaBeth said softly. It was weird for someone to be so uptight. She had known Castiel for a couple of years now, but never had she noticed this much tension in his movements.

"I'll be going when you're asleep. So, you should sleep…"

"I can't sleep with you standing like that. I mean…It's creepy, Cas.", AnnaBeth said in a matter-of-fact sort of tone. She grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back towards the bed, with some effort. As Cas looked down at her, she could read his eyes. He was more uncomfortable than she had ever seen him. He was utterly ashamed of being here…or something. Sighing, she pushed him down on the bed.

"You're talking a lot like Dean. I don't know that I like where this is going…", Cas started to say in protest. AnnaBeth slapped a hand over his mouth, while grabbing his tie and loosening it.

"Just shut up. You need to pull that stick out of your ass sometimes, before it gets sore. That…is exactly what we are about to do…"

"I don't have a-"

"Just shut up…", AnnaBeth mumbled, giving the tie a firm tug and tossing it aside. She grabbed the collar of his trenchcoat and leaned over him to pull it off his shoulders and arms. While her neck hovered above his face, she could feel his breath against her skin. The warmth caused a sharp pang of guilt to rise as she looked down at his eyes. He looked up at her with the same serious stare he had given the window, and his eyes seemed to burn through hers. The same pang of guilt made her frown, and push the coat off of his shoulders. She removed it from his arms and folded it neatly beside him, on the bed.

Biting her lip, she gave him a cute smirk. It was the first time she had ever seen Cas void of his trenchcoat, "You look…comfy…almost."

Placing a bare toe on the back of his shoe, she gave a swift kick, and the shoe clashed with the floor. She did the same with the other and smiled at him.

"I don't understand…", Castiel mumbled, looking around at his discarded clothing.

"You…are going to relax.", AnnaBeth said, while perching a pillow against the headboard of her bed. She patted it lightly and smiled, "Just…relax."

Awkwardly, Cas scooted himself backwards, leaning against the pillow and propping his feet up on the bed. He looked over towards AnnaBeth, and she sniggered. He looked lost, and it was hilarious. She needed a bit of hilarity right now. So, she would take his awkwardness.

"Ok, then.", she said, walking around to her normal side of the bed and lying down. Castiel watched her lie down, moving his hand from brushing her back, to in his lap, "Goodnight.."

"Goodnight, AnnaBeth…"

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AnnaBeth awoke, feeling pleasant. As she opened her eyes, she reached for the opposite side of the bed, but realized that she was lying on it. Better yet, she was lying on something soft, and warm. Lifting her head from Castiel's chest, she smiled and yawned, before looking up at his face.

"Goodmorning…", she mumbled softly, "…did you not sleep?"

"I don't-"

"Oh yeah…", she said, patting his chest and crawling out of bed. Walking to the closet, she pulled out a red sundress, throwing it over her head. As she dressed, she labored to talk, "So…I saw Sam yesterday…"

Silence.

"Did you hear me? I saw…"

"I heard what you said. AnnaBeth…you were…", Cas started with a sigh.

"No! Look, I know what I saw…and I need to see if I'm right. Even if he's not alive, he's there. He's at that house. Now, I'm going to give you the option of having what you wanted…I want to see Dean."

Apparently, that was a touchy subject with Cas. His face became void of blood and he looked down awkwardly at his hands.

"Did you hear me? I said I want to see-"

"I heard you…once again. I always hear you. I hear you when you're not speaking. What makes you think…Just…get dressed and I will take you there, but, I don't want to see him.", Cas said, standing from the bed and snapping his fingers. Suddenly, he was dressed and AnnaBeth's boots were tied. Raising her eyebrows, she gave a 'hmph' of impression.

"I don't understand what Dean could have done to make you hate him so much. I mean…I think he's a coward, but he was your best friend…", AnnaBeth said, walking up to Castiel, "What happened?"

"That's a story for another time…", Castiel whispered, pressing two fingers against her forehead.

AnnaBeth opened her eyes, and found herself in a small suburban yard, face to face with a tree. Smirking that Cas set her up for failure, she stepped around it and up to the door that she assumed was Dean's. With hesitation, she gave a single knock on the door, before she was greeted by the shiny barrel of a pistol.

"What the hell are you doing here?", Dean almost yelled at her, pulling her into the house with the gun pressed to her forehead. There appeared to be no one in the house, thankfully. She smirked as she was slammed against a wall with enough force to knock the pictures off. Dean pulled the hammer of the gun back and slammed her head against the wall with it.

"Argh…God Dammit…", she groaned, looking up at the ceiling, "Nice to see you too, Dean."

**(Please Review and Enjoy! Sorry if the chapter seemed rushed! xoxo)**


	6. Chapter 6: Anger Is A Step Of Grief

"I didn't tell you to speak, bitch…", Dean spat at AnnaBeth. Those words from him caused her eyes to remain on the ceiling, but puddle up with tears. It wasn't even a year ago that they were best friends. So, it was obvious that they too were separated by the apocalypse. The thought caused her almost as much pain as waking up every day without Sam. She kept her mouth shut, but bit her lip from the pain of the gun pressed against her head, "Now…tell me. How did you find me, and what the hell do you want from me?"

AnnaBeth lowered her eyes to look straight at Deans, "Cas brought me here…and…and I just needed to see you."

It was true. She only wanted to see his face, to make sure he was okay, but also to ask a painful question.

"Cas…right. Of course Cas would send you…of course he would…", Dean started, pulling the gun away from her head, and stepping back. He dropped AnnaBeth to her feet, surprisingly.

AnnaBeth shook her head, taking a deep breath and sliding down the wall, "He didn't send me…He brought me. I came on my own accord…I think…Dean, have you…have you caught wind of Sam…possibly being alive?", she asked, slowly raising her eyes to judge his reaction.

The second Sam's name left AnnaBeth's lips, Dean's eyes lighted, as if they were caught on fire by her words. Practically sprinting to her, he grabbed her shoulders and slammed her against the wall again, lifting her feet off the ground. Yelping, she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

"What the hell do you know about Sam? What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?", Dean screamed at her, touching noses for a brief second, "Huh? What did you do, call for a little assistance? Did you touch bases with some of your demon pals? Crowley?"

"Dean…calm…", AnnaBeth started, before she was shaken into screaming sobs by Dean. He was angry, but he wasn't showing hate. He was showing anguish, remorse. He shook her and slammed her back into the wall a few good times.

"Don't…tell me to calm down…", he said, winded, "I have worked my ass off in these books, looking for ways that didn't involve demons. I have searched in every nook and cranny, talked to everyone.. you show up here…telling me…you show up here. You have a lot of nerve…to lie to my face…"

Afraid to talk, AnnaBeth took a deep breath, "I…um…I assumed you…were the one who made the deal…I..d-didn't…"

Dean chuckled, offended that she would even think he would be so stupid. He had made deals before and learned one thing – you can't trust demons. He gripped AnnaBeth's arms a little tighter, before letting out a ragged sigh and lowering her back down to the ground, slowly. Giving her a long and thoughtful look, tears began to come to his eyes, and he lifted a hand to his hair.

"He's not alive. I have talked to demons. They wouldn't even give me the time of day. The angels didn't want anything to do with me…and I thought Cas was dead. He wouldn't answer my calls. He wouldn't even acknowledge he still existed. Then you, of all people come knocking on my door…I just can't believe this is real…I can't…uproot..."

"I-I'm not asking you to uproot, Dean. I just…I just wanted to tell you what I saw. I went out…and I was dying. I had been shot. Someone carried me out of that house, and the person I saw was…S-Sam…", AnnaBeth explained, trying her hardest not to wipe the tears from Dean's face as her own began to fall. She could barely speak, and it was killing her to tell him this.

"You were dying…you…you were under stress…", Dean said in a soft voice. He wanted her to believe she was seeing things, because he wanted to believe she was seeing things. If Sam was back, God only knows what he would be, or how screwed in the head he would be from Lucifer and Michaels torture.

"Maybe…but I saw Sam…"

Dean stepped forward, slowly, reaching for her shoulders. AnnaBeth tensed, expecting another slam for arguing. Instead, she was engulfed in his arms, and hugged nearly to breathlessness. She could feel his body shaking, fighting the sobs that escaped his lips. Bringing her arms up to his back, she held him, as best she could, rubbing the muscles in a soothing motion. That's when her own sobs began, and she let go. This is why she needed to see Dean. He was the only one who would understand the day to day she still dealt with, because he was dealing with it too. He pulled away from her slowly, and wiped her tears from her cheeks.

"Uhm…Lisa…an-and Ben will be home in a bit. You should probably get going. I don't wanna rush, but…", Dean started, running a hand down his face to take care of the rest of his own tears. AnnaBeth nodded in understanding. She knew that seeing part of Dean's past would possibly upset Lisa. She knew for a fact that Lisa knew what she was, and what she had done. She wasn't sure if it was the right time to apologize for leaving Dean in the state he showed up in. So, she reached a hand up to his face and gave a small smile. This is how things should be. Yes he had assaulted her. Yes he had hurt her pretty badly, but he was hurt. She had to hope for his sake that Sam really was alive, and fine. So, she would keep looking.

"…Call me when you have time…", AnnaBeth whispered to him, turning and grabbing the doorhandle to leave. Before she could grab it, she felt the air escape her lungs and things were spinning like crazy, before she landed on her feet in her room. Cas stood in front of her with a welcoming smirk.

"That went well…", he said softly, touching her forehead to heal any possible injuries.

"Tell me about it…"

**(Not my favorite chapter, but definately a great one to write. Read and REVIEW! And Enjoy!)**


	7. Chapter 7: Poison and Wine

A few days after seeing Dean, AnnaBeth's mind continued to buzz with wonder and worry. Sitting in front of the old fireplace in her home, she contemplated her options. After seeing Dean, there was no going back to being alone. There was no pretending the whole group was dead. No, but it didn't make the decision to return to them any easier. Instead, it formed the most difficult question she had ever juggled. Did she want to see Mika again, on good terms? Did she want to be back with the group, like Sam had never died, and like things could go back to normal?

Sighing, she ran a hand through her messy red hair, pulling it roughly behind her ear. She stared into the fire, leaning forward, as if the answer to her question was going to magically transcribe itself onto the fire. Knowing better, she rocked back, leaning against the cushion with another hefty sigh.

If she went back, everyone would have questions. They would be questions that she, no doubt, had no intentions of answering, or even thinking about. She had her own questions, however. She wanted to know why Mika had changed so much, and why she just let Dean go. She wanted to ask Bobby how he was still alive, when she remembered him dying, like it was yesterday. The sound of his bones breaking, and his body slamming into the ground still made her queasy, at the thought. A gust of wind filled the room, causing the fire to dance and her hair to go into a mad orange cloud, before Castiel landed heavily on the couch.

"Hey Cas…", she mumbled, looking to her right and into his eyes. She was happy he came, at such a terrible time. With his presence, at least the silence wasn't threatening to bust her eardrums. He had a small smile on his face, apparently amused at something. Maybe he had been lying in wait the entire time, listening to her whisper to herself out loud, which she seriously hoped wasn't the case.

"Hello, AnnaBeth. You seem stressed. Is there something troubling you, again?", he asked awkwardly, looking at the fire with wonder. She wished she could read Castiel's mind, like she could humans. She wished she could see the world the way he did, and could see what he was thinking, when he stared through the simplest of items. She pulled herself out of her amazement, and cleared her throat.

"I can't stop thinking about Dean. Seeing him…just brought back pain, but…it made me want to be with someone. It made me just…want to be able to get up in the middle of the night, and walk into another room, and see someone. I can't stop thinking about returning to Mika, and Bobby..."

"This seems to be a good change. Your eyes show relief. This is what you've needed, this whole time…just a glimpse of them…of their life. Have you decided?", Cas questioned, still staring at the fire.

"Um…no, actually…", she whispered, "I'm torn."

"What seems to be keeping you from them?", Castiel asked her, intense wonder in his voice. AnnaBeth furrowed her eyebrows, and thought for a second, turning her head to the side, before continuing.

"I…I have to find Sam…", she whispered. What she got in return was something new. Castiel rolled his eyes, and stood from the couch, sighing at her answer. Shocked, she just stared at him. She had never seen Cas react in any way, anything like this. Usually, he was a good listener.

"Please, don't…", he murmured, pacing behind the couch. She could tell he was nervous about something, but was more frustrated than anything, "Don't start this conversation…"

"Why not? Sam is alive. I've seen him. Haven't you seen him?..", the words had no sooner left her mouth before Castiel snapped a quick, "NO!", and caused AnnaBeth's eyes to narrow at him. His answer was a little too quick. With him not having a complete soul, this was telltale to her, "Cas…what are you not telling me?"

"Nothing. Leave it alone."

"Cas…have you seen Sam?", she asked, standing and moving closer to him, "…remember that you can't lie to me…"

"I have to go…", Cas said, turning to fly away.

"Don't you dare leave me…Don't you dare…What do you know about Sam? He's alive isn't he..?"

Cas turned back to her, a sad look covering every inch of his face. He looked down to the floor and shook his head, the classic Castiel 'I don't want to be the one to tell you' face. Raising his hands, he sighed, "Yes…".

The feeling that took over AnnaBeth's body was enough to make her explode. Her heart began to beat wildly, making her head spin. Her chest rose high, for what seemed like forever with an inhale. She couldn't breathe. Sam was alive. It wasn't in her head, and Dean had no clue. Cas had been hiding it from everyone. Sam…was alive.

"Well…can I see him?", she asked, tears flowing down to her chest, disappearing into her black shirt.

"No. Well, I don't know. I haven't spoken to Sam, since he returned…"

"Do you know where he is? Please, Cas…", but Castiel disappeared. No. He didn't just do this to her. He didn't just confirm Sam's existence…and leave her. Sinking back down to the couch, she buried her face in her hands, sobbing. She didn't even feel the fingertips touch her forehead. She didn't feel the whirlwind, or her ass sinking into something different. She didn't smell the bleach soaked tile of the motel room she appeared in, but the voice she heard ripped her out of any sadness she had been in.

"…AnnaBeth?", caused her head to shoot up from her hands, and towards the voice. Her mouth fell open, and a relieved smile crossed it. Actually, it wasn't a smile, or a frown. It was more a blank stare of disbelief. For a second, she wondered if it was a projection. Jumping from the bed she had apparently been teleported to, she ran forward, jumping in the arms she had missed.

"Sam? Oh my god…Sam!", she screamed, wrapping her arms around his neck. Without giving him time to adjust to her being there, she smashed her lips into his, sobbing. His arms wrapped around her awkwardly, as if he didn't quite know how to react to her, but he kissed her back gladly, raising his hands to her hair.

Outside the motel window, Castiel stood, hands in the pocket of his trenchcoat. He was ashamed of himself. This was probably the most careless thing he had done. Disappearing, he appeared in the corner, invisible to both Sam and AnnaBeth, deciding that he would stay. Sam may not be Sam…


	8. Chapter 8: Forever Started With One Kiss

I wish you'd hold me when I turn my back...

Sam's hands followed her tangled hair, down to her neck, and traced the indention of her spine, as their passionate kiss lit the room on fire. At the moment, AnnaBeth's brain was thinking so many things that this was right. This…this was what was supposed to happen.

She jumped, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist as her shirt was wrenched over her head and thrown against the window, where it pooled on the floor below. She grinned against Sam's lips, and what she received in return was an animalistic growl, before she was thrown onto a bed, her hands held above her head by one of his.

"Sam…", she said softly, in protest, breaking away from the kiss to look up at his vice grip of a hand. He didn't stop his assault, kissing his way down her bare chest and stomach, while his free hand skillfully began unbuttoning her jeans. She bit her lip, beginning to feel a little uncomfortable in the position he currently had her. She was happy to see him, but this…this was off, even for Sam.

As he began tugging at her pants, she pressed her back against the mattress, keeping her pants securely on her body. He looked up toward her face with a puzzled look, "What's the problem?"

"What's the problem?", she repeated him, wrenching her hands from him with a bit of force, "…Aren't you happy to see me? I mean…you come out of hell and the first glimpse you get of me turns from a happy to see you kiss, into rough sex?"

"I mean..Yeah. Why not?", he asked her, as if her question was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard in his life. Shrugging his shoulders to make sure she knew her question was dumb, he kept staring at her.

"Don't you want to…like…talk?"

"No. I don't want to talk about what happened. I went to hell. It sucked. I'm fine. I'm alive, and this is my body. You can do any test you want…", he said, sitting on the side of the bed in frustration.

"I know you're not a demon…I can read your mind…", she said to him, "Although, there's not much there…except sex…and the fact that you are craving a beer…"

Sam laughed, but it was empty and cold. Sighing, AnnaBeth stood from the bed and looked around the room for her shirt. Once located, she walked over to it, throwing it over her head.

"Look. I'm so happy to see you. I'm so happy…that you're okay, and Dean will be ecstatic, but you're acting a little off…", she said as simply as she could.

"Off? Off how? Just because I'm not all mopy, like Dean was, doesn't mean anything is wrong with me. I'm fine…You just think too much."

Sighing, she read his mind, and all that was there was sex. Sex…and beer. He was remembering how she looked the last time they had had sex. In his mind, he was thinking about the fact that she had lost weight, and he didn't find that sexy. He wished she would eat more, and maybe work out a bit. She was lacking in the abs department, compared to when he had left. She closed her eyes, and shut his brain out, before groaning in frustration.

"Look. I'll come back, under better terms. Right now…I just…maybe…this was a bad idea, to see you…", she said slowly, before calling Cas in her mind.

"Well, next time you come…try to be a little less proactive, and a little more happy to see me…Maybe it's you that's off…"

Without feeling Castiel's hand touch her, AnnaBeth appeared back at her house, and slumped onto the couch, in shock. Gently, Castiel leaned down and touched her knee, before sitting beside her. It was a gesture that she wasn't expecting, and it was a gesture that she honestly didn't know how to react to.

"What's wrong with him, Cas?", she asked him, closing her eyes for a second, and then opening them to look him in the eyes. He closed his own eyes, before looking down at his shoes.

"I've been asking myself the same question for weeks. He's changed, since coming back, but I can't quite place it. I thought at first that it was coming back from hell…it must have some adverse effects on him, which wouldn't be surprising, but this isn't that sort of reaction…", he said to her in one breath.

"Will he ever be the way he was?", AnnaBeth asked, closing her eyes again.

"Only time can tell…At the moment, I'm more worried about you…"

AnnaBeth opened her eyes quickly, giving him a creeped out glare. Castiel just said he was 'worried' about someone. Better yet, he admitted that he was 'worried' about her.

"I'm fine, Cas…I've just had a lot thrown at me…"

"No more than usual. That's why I'm worried. You're quiet. Quiet, for you…means you're not handling things.", Cas retorted, almost sounding human.

"Because I'm not. I'm choosing not to handle this. There's a chance that I'll never have him…even though he exists on this planet…it's like it's just his body. I don't know how I'm supposed to cope with that…"

"You may have to let him go…It may be in your best interest to let him come to you…", Cas removed his hand from her knee, as her mind began to wonder about all of the things that had happened in the past few days. Her life had come back to her, but was still turned upside down. The one person she never wanted to speak to again, now felt like her only true ally. It was odd, and it was painful…but it felt better than dealing with the Sam issue. She didn't want to deal with it. Cas was right. Sam needed to come to her, when he was ready.

At the moment, he needed space, and she needed to take care of herself.

"Thanks Cas…", she mumbled, moving to the edge of the couch to stand. She glanced at him, ready for him to leave, and something hit her. She couldn't repeat the process in her mind if she tried, and it was one of the most shocking things she had ever done in her life. After staring at Cas for a second, attempting like an idiot to read him, and not his brain. She leaned forward, and placed a light, but meaningful kiss on his lips.

Obviously not knowing how to react, Castiel stared blankly, until she pulled away, and then continued his stare.

"What are you doing?", he asked her, narrowing his eyes.

"I…um…don't know…", she answered, placing another light kiss on his lips, then his nose, and his forehead. The gesture caused his eyes to flutter shut, this time. Pulling away, she smiled, reaching up and loosening his tie. As he opened his eyes, she unbuttoned his shirt and placed light kisses on his cheek, down his jaw line, and his neck.

"…What are you doing…", Cas said, awkwardly, his hands still folded politely in his lap. Leaning back, AnnaBeth sighed. She didn't know how to answer him.

"Honestly? I'm coping…I apologize…"

"For what?", he asked, looking down at his bare chest, and then back at her, "It's just a shirt…"

She giggled, rolling her eyes at his innocence, "Not the shirt…for kissing you…"

"It's a thing that humans do, when they're attracted to one another…", he recited, as if he was reading it from a book, "…though I'm not sure where that leaves you…"

"That leaves me in an awkward situation, with my only friend…", she said, reaching across the arm of the couch and grabbing a bottle of whiskey from the side table. Popping the top, she took a long drink and offered Cas the bottle, which he accepted, taking his own drink.

"If it would make you feel less inclined to apologize…you're a very attractive woman…"

"Thanks Cas…", AnnaBeth said simply, rolling her eyes as she took a long drink from the bottle. Let the awkwardness in sue...


	9. Chapter 9: Hush

**(We're officially in Season 6! So, things will be canon mixed with OC from now on…and by that, I mean, Cas is going to struggle with himself, while falling in love…*fuzzy*)**

AnnaBeth looked down at her hands. It had been hours, and Cas was still…staring at the fire. He didn't move. He didn't blink. Thankfully, he hadn't flown away, after the awkward kiss. Sighing, AnnaBeth looked at the empty bottle of whiskey that he had lightly perched atop his knee. He could really put it away, when he was nervous, and right now…he was definitely nervous.

"…Um, Cas?", she asked, leaning forward a bit, and reaching for the bottle.

She took the bottle from his hand, with little effort, and he continued to stare. Shit. This was the worst idea. She had no idea what had been running through her head when she had decided to take advantage of him. Mika would get a kick out of this, even at Castiel's expense. It was the sad reality of his innocence.

"Cas…I am so sorry…", she said, placing a hand on his knee. His vessel was tense, and when she touched him, he disappeared. Sitting there with her hand out, resting on the couch, below where his knee had been, she stared. Oh wow. How perfect? Everything was beginning to make sense again, and she had to go kiss the nerd angel.

Before she could think too much, her hair engulfed her face, getting into her eyes and mouth. Quickly pulling it from her face to see what the wind was from, she sighed in relief, and let her hair go, frowning at Castiel. He was standing in front of her with a bottle of Bourbon in each hand. Awkwardly pushing past her knees, he sat the bottles down on the end table.

"I got you more liquor…", he said in a monotone voice, and for what seemed like forever, the silence engulfed them both. Then, for whatever reason, he decided to continue speaking, causing AnnaBeth's eyebrows to raise, and her heart to skip a beat, as if she was startled.

"When I look…when I look at you, I see…", he started, before sighing and flexing his hands at his sides, "…I see a human. I see good. What you are…what you're made from, is pure evil."

The words hit AnnaBeth like swords, thrown at her face. She cringed. The last person to tell her that, was Lucifer…

"Cas…I said I was sorry…", she said softly, looking straight to him, "I should have never taken that kind of advantage of you."

"And you should really learn to let people finish their thoughts…", he murmured, finally turning to look at her, "What you are, is pure evil. Lilith…her blood….it courses through your veins, and her power is still very evident…yet…no matter how hard I try to avoid you, I can't leave you alone. Something is drawing me to you. I hear every word of your thoughts. I hear them, even when I'm not sure that you're aware you're awake…"

"Cas, what are you trying to say?", AnnaBeth asked, staring at him, with her mouth slightly open and tears in her eyes.

"I have no soul…", he said, about as plainly as he could, "…yet, you and I have a bond…"

AnnaBeth jerked her head backwards, with wide eyes. She could guess where this was going.

"Cas, what I did earlier, was out of line. I can't say it enough times…"

"It wasn't.", Castiel said simply, turning to look at her. Raising an eyebrow, AnnaBeth posed her lips to make words, but struggled with them.

"Um…bah…Then, thank…you?", she said awkwardly, scanning his face. Suddenly, he sat in front of her, and lifted a hand. Then, he dropped the hand. He seemed to be thinking hard, and there was sweat on his brow. Raising the hand again, he brought it up to her face, almost as nervously as a young boy. AnnaBeth's heartbeat began to rise at his touch.

Cas kept his hand there, and seemed to be rehearsing something he had just learned. Giving a small chuckle, AnnaBeth looked at his eyes, while reaching forward to grab his tie. With one yank, she pulled the knot away from his neck, "Relax…remember?"

Cas' thumb traced a line beneath her eye, and she reacted, slamming her lips into his with enough force to make it bleed, against his teeth. Again, as if he had practiced it, he slowly began to kiss her back, biting at her lips and tangling his fingers in her hair. She had to admit to herself, she was impressed. So impressed, that she reached up and grabbed his hands, leading them down to the hem of her shirt.

Pulling away from the kiss, Castiel looked down, a little winded, trying to remember what to do. AnnaBeth let out another small laugh, grabbing the bottom of her shirt, and pulling it over her head quickly. After it was safely off the couch, she began her work on his, pushing his jacket off his shoulders, and then his dress coat. His buttons didn't stand a chance, as she ripped his shirt open and pushed him back.

Now was the first time she had ever seen the human side of Cas come out. She had to assume that it was his vessel who was excited. Whatever it was, he knew what he was doing. Smiling, for what she could remember was the first genuine time, he snapped his fingers, and she felt the clothing that separated them, disappear. Smiling widely, she leaned over his face, pulling her hair behind her ear and kissed him.

)0()0()0()0()0()0()0()0()0()0()0()0(

AnnaBeth rolled herself over, pulling the moth eaten throw over her waist as she placed a hand on Castiel's chest. He was staring at the ceiling, and she couldn't read his expression. So, she decided to check. Reaching up, she ran her fingers along his sweaty forehead, pushing his hair aside. It was a loving gesture, and that's all she wanted it to be.

Shocking her a little, he grabbed her hand, pulling it down to his chest and holding it there, while running his thumb along the back of it. It was the most human thing she had ever seen him do. However, the whole night had seemed overwhelmingly human, for Cas. Scooting up a bit more, she pulled her hand from him and placed it on his cheek, pulling it to kiss his lips.

"What's on your mind?", she asked him, softly.

"…I've fallen. I've rebelled, and had nothing to show for it, until now."

"Is that a good thing?", AnnaBeth asked, keeping her eyes locked on his, which were sadly looking at the bones of her neck.

"You're the most beautiful person I've ever met. Humans are fickle. They are weak, but I have fought for them, and thought it was for nothing. You…you're everything I continue to fight for…", he said, causing AnnaBeth to smile, and tears to come to her eyes. Then, she recognized the honesty that leaked through. He said "still".

"What do you mean still fighting for?"

"I have to return to heaven. The angels, they are being divided, by my brother…Raphael. If I don't return…he will find a way to release Lucifer and Michael from the cage…", he said, softly, not wanting to finish his sentence. AnnaBeth could read that much from his sigh that followed.

"And the apocalypse will go ahead…"

"Yes. Only this time, I don't know that it will be as easy to finish it. I don't know…that the world wouldn't burn…and you…I'll take you to heaven. I'll put you in protection, and…"

"Cas, no…Go. Go do what you need to. I'll be okay…", AnnaBeth said reluctantly. Honestly, she feared what would happen if Raphael took over. She feared dying, by the hands of an angel, more specifically, Lucifer.

"I can't just leave you here, on Earth. If anything happened to you…"

"I'll be fine. I'll go to Dean, or Bobby. We've taken care of ourselves for years. They'll keep me safe. I promise you…", she said, kissing his lips one more time, before sitting up, and grabbing her clothes, "I can tell…you need to go…"

"I'll take you there. If anything…ANYTHING happens, you can call me…", he said, snapping his fingers and dressing them both with a sigh. AnnaBeth sighed as well, stepping close to him. Grabbing her hand, he kissed her, simply as she did to him. A tear fell from her eye, and he frowned.

"I love you…", she said softly, touching foreheads with him.

"I know…", he replied, and the world began to spin as he transported her to Bobby's living room, and disappeared.

**(I know a lot of you were expecting explicit sex in this story, but I just couldn't do it. It was awkward...but I think you'll like how this turned out. I know I do. :) Please read and review!)**


	10. Chapter 10: Say What You Need To Say

**(Thanks for all the reviews and stuff! You guys are great, and you make me want to keep writing this. I know I'm not the best writer, but it's reassuring to get some sort of recognition :) Refer it to your friends, and as always, Read, Review, and Enjoy!)**

**I do not own any of the characters from Supernatural. They are the beautiful beings that used to live in Eric Kripke's head. Now, they're ours to fantasize about. lol**

**I also do not own the character of Mika Chambers. She belongs to the brilliant mind of my best friend Mika (FuriePhoenix), who helped me write this chapter. 3**

"You did what?!", Bobby Singer exclaimed from across his small oak table. AnnaBeth had almost dropped directly in his lap as he was drinking his morning coffee. He had made a few exclamations about how he was too old for this shit, and then went to tending to her shock, which was still very evident. She didn't answer straight off, until a glass of whiskey was pushed into her hands, "Drink that. It might loosen up that shock in your shoulders…"

Sighing, AnnaBeth brought the glass up to her lips with shaky hands, taking a small drink, and then coughing. This whiskey was like gasoline. That was probably the point, though. So, she took it upon herself to kick back the entire glass in two gulps, sitting it down on the table with a sigh. No sooner had it touched the table, it was full again.

"So, tell me what happened…", Bobby egged, pushing the fresh glass towards her awaiting hands, and looking around the kitchen for ideas on what to fix her for food.

"I told you…", AnnaBeth said softly, fighting the tears that she didn't even know were there. Yet, they threatened to, and then began to spill over, and down her cheeks like tiny rivers.

"I know what you told me, but do you mind explaining to me what exactly possessed you to…bang an angel?", Bobby asked her, grabbing some bread and popping it into the toaster. AnnaBeth delved into his mind, trying to find out what he wanted to hear. Bobby wasn't one to egg, unless he wanted something. Honestly, though, in that moment, the only thing on Bobby's mind was how bad he hoped she was going to pull through this, in case Cas died, and that she had to be hungry. He felt terrible that all he had to offer in his bachelor pad was bread, coffee, and liquor. He also felt terrible that things ended up not working out with Sam.

"…I didn't decide to. I went to see Sam…", she said, and was cut off by Bobby choking a bit on his coffee. AnnaBeth raised her eyebrows and cocked her head to the side, "You okay?"

"Yeah…damn hot coffee.", he made an excuse, sitting his cup down and looking at the table below her, "So, you…saw Sam?"

"Wait a second…", she said softly, sniffling, and then continuing, "You don't sound surprised."

Bobby stayed silent, picking up a bottle of scotch and pouring a bit of it into his already cold coffee.

"You knew…"

"What's all the commotion about?", a female voice cracked through the tension, as Mika walked through the back door. She was covered in grease, and her hair was oddly messy. AnnaBeth took in the condition, and reminded herself to scoff later. Mika wasn't usually one to get messy, and when she did, she never showed it to anyone. When they made eye contact, AnnaBeth read Mika's mind, and she was worried. She thought AnnaBeth looked like hell, and wondered why she was here, "So, you haven't completely gone astray, then? What's up? You look awful…"

AnnaBeth went to answer her, and honestly didn't know what to say. Then, she began to wonder if Mika knew, as well. Maybe everyone was in on the joke. Everyone knew that Sam was back, and they all knew that he was screwed up. So, they all probably knew that she would be dead walking when she found out.

"…I found Sam.", she said simply, kicking back another shot of whiskey. Mika walked up to the table, and turned her head away from AnnaBeth, as if she didn't hear her at all. She looked in the mirror over the sink and frowned, before wiping harshly at her face with a dishcloth.

"Damn car…", she mumbled, before glancing at Bobby.

"So, am I the only one not in on this little…secret?", AnnaBeth asked, "If so, please take me to Dean's house…I've had enough emotion tonight…with Cas, and…"

Bobby shot Mika a glance, which AnnaBeth caught immediately and lowered her head, taking a few deep breaths. She should have gone with her original plan. She should have stayed alone, and continued to blow Castiel off. It sucked to think about it, but it was the truth. She glanced back up, letting a few tears run down her cheeks and watched the exchange between Mika and Bobby. Mika seemed to stare at him as though she had no clue what he was getting at. She seemed…confused.

She then broke eye contact with Bobby and turned to AnnaBeth, staring at her face, and acknowledging what she had mumbled about Sam, "You found Sam? Wait…You found Sam?! What the - I mean…I thought he was in the pit, with Michael and Lucifer…"

AnnaBeth shrugged, lowering her eyes to the empty glass in front of her and making it spin with her mind, "Apparently someone got him out…I thought it was Dean, but it's not. Dean almost killed me when I said Sam's name to him. Cas was acting weird, but I can't tell if he knows anything. It's not like I can read an angel's mind…"

Thinking about Cas caused her to close her eyes and fight back more tears. There was a very good chance that he would never return, because there was a very good chance that Raphael and his army would end up destroying Cas without so much as a second glance. Finding composure, she cleared her throat, and took a shaky breath, before speaking again.

"So, I assumed it was you guys…one of you…", she said softly, "And it appears I was right…"

"AnnaBeth, I didn't…know…", Mika cooed at her, reaching forward and placing a hand lightly over the top of AnnaBeth's much smaller hands, "I swear, I didn't…"

AnnaBeth delved into Mika's mind again, and it was swarming with ideas, and conspiracies about what had given AnnaBeth the idea that she was the guilty party. Then, AnnaBeth noticed that the truth clicked, and Mika's brain began to radiate heat, in a sudden burst of anger. She whipped around to Bobby, shooting him dagger eyes, "You knew?! After all of that bullshit you wanted me to talk her into, and you knew he was alive, all this time. What the hell, Bobby?! This is a big…deal…"

"Yeah! It is! If she hasn't noticed, Sam isn't exactly all peaches and cream. He's not the same Sam he was, when he left. If anything I did you a favor!", Bobby almost yelled, finally losing his cool about the whole subject, "He asked me not to contact you…"

"He what?", AnnaBeth whispered, suddenly not afraid to cry in any way, "Wh-why…why would he do that?"

"I don't know, but like I said…he's not the same. Something down there changed him…and…I've never seen someone come back from hell, besides Dean, in the physical shape that Sam is in. His brain…just isn't there.", Bobby raised his eyebrows sadly, and his eyes told the apology that he obviously couldn't let his pride down enough to say. Mika continued her glare, almost staring right through Bobby.

"I say we try to fix him…", she said finally, causing AnnaBeth to frown.

"Fix him? What if there's nothing wrong with him? What if he's just…changed?", AnnaBeth asked, wiping her face on her forearm.

"Then we find out…Cas would know how…"

With the dropping of his name, AnnaBeth let out a ragged sigh and lowered her eyes to the table once more, biting her lip. It was then that she notice the buzz in Mika's head stop, and her anger turned into worry.

"AnnaBeth…is Cas alright?", Mika asked.

"Um…Yeah..yeah…", AnnaBeth said, attempting to force the tears back enough to speak, "He's just dealing with some stuff in heaven. That's where I came from…"

"What kind of stuff?"

"Arch angel…stuff…Second coming…stuff…", AnnaBeth answered, hoping that Mika would get the hint. She did, thankfully.

"Wait…there's only one…Raphael is trying to start another apocalypse? How? And how do you know this?"

"By making me a seal…He'll open the cage by making me the final seal…and I don't even want to go there, after Bobby's reaction…", AnnaBeth said slowly, remembering what Cas had told her, and then the reaction Bobby had given to her sleeping with Cas.

"But why you? The last seal was broken by…Lilith…", Mika deducted, looking up to meet AnnaBeth's eyes for some clarity.

"Exactly…my blood. Half of me is part of her. They kill me…the apocalypse is back on. That's why Cas left…"

"Wow. I wish he had told someone…There's a good chance…", Mika started, a sad expression on her face.

"…that he spent his last night of existence with me. Yeah, I know…"

**(Sorry about the dialogue heavy chapter. I like to develop the story, more than just play along in actions. I figured some of you would love it :) Well, Review please!)**


	11. Chapter 11: A Simple Gesture

AnnaBeth's eyes fluttered open, sometime in the middle of the night. She frowned in the darkness, having crashed on Bobby's thread barren couch. It was oddly comfortable and reminded her of something from a grandparent's house. She smirked at her inner thoughts, and raised her body from he couch, feeling the unmistakeable presence in the room with her.

"Hey…", she whispered into the darkness, "I said hey…"

"I heard you the first time.", Castiel's voice came piercing through the intense silence, almost causing AnnaBeth's muscles to seize as she jumped. Then, it dawned on her who the voice belonged to.

"Cas? Cas, what are you doing here?", she whispered, stepping closer to where she heard his voice. She reached out to touch him, and couldn't find him. It was as if he wasn't actually in the room, only in her head. She narrowed her eyes in confusion, mouthing 'what?', and turning her head to the side.

"Raphael…", Cas said simply, before sighing, "He said that he was coming to 'pay you a visit'. I had to…I wanted to see for myself."

AnnaBeth took a second to take in exactly what he was saying. Raphael was coming for her. Great. It was bad enough, before the apocalypse, when every demon wanted a piece of her, to get to Lucifer. Now, she had something about as powerful as they come, besides God, wanting to peel her skin off and bleed her dry at the alter. Peachy.

"How do you feel?", Cas echoed in again.

"What do you mean? I feel fine. I'm still gimp…I have been since Lucifer left…", she replied, looking down at the palms of her hands, or what she could see of them in the pale light of the moon shining through the window.

"You know that's not what I mean. I'm not concerned with the…affliction that Lilith and Lucifer placed inside of you."

AnnaBeth frowned into the darkness. The demon blood coursing through her veins had saved them countless times during Lucifer's reign of terror. In fact, said blood was probably the reason that she was still alive. Lucifer loved her…too much to kill her. She swallowed heavily and raised her head to look toward his voice again.

"…So, what are you concerned with, if not my soul..?", AnnaBeth asked him in a bratty voice.

"Are you afraid?"

"Of an Arch Angel? No…", she lied, but Castiel's voice held a smile of disbelief, and admiration.

"Well, you should be. If he gets through. If he comes for you…there's very little that can stop him…"

"I'm aware…", AnnaBeth snapped, becoming a little aggravated at his attempts to break through her coping façade. She gritted her teeth, and Castiel made himself visible to her, his trenchcoat brushing her hands as the wind of his wings died down. With a gasp, she looked up at his face, and had to fight with every fiber of her being not to smile.

"You remind me of Dean in this light. You really shouldn't grind your teeth. I've read that it causes problems…quite painful for humans…", Castiel said softly, his bright blue eyes glimmering in the light of the moon. He was almost smiling at his own humanity shining through like a beacon. AnnaBeth's face cracked into a smile. She pushed down the lump in her throat, and threw her arms around his neck, resting her now teary eyes against his shoulder. She could have sworn she felt his lips touch her temple, as he sighed in relief.

"Mika and me…We…assumed, I guess…that you were dead…", she whispered against his shoulder, before pulling away and looking up at his eyes, "Cas, I'm sorry if I..I mean…if I overstepped anything last night…"

"Stop it.", Castiel said quickly, looking away from her, and illuminating his eyes again in the moonlight, "If I needed an apology…If I needed to doubt your intentions…I wouldn't be here. I've learned that much from the Winchesters. If someone takes your sympathies, and uses them in ways that make break you down…you don't just…come back."

AnnaBeth didn't quite understand what he was talking about. That's all Dean and Sam did. They were self-sacrificing, and no matter what the other did, they always came running back to each other. There was never a 'you don't just come back' point. Either way, she took Castiel's words as forgiveness.

"Thank you…", she whispered, reaching down and grabbing his hand. He took it upon himself to take the hand back, and place it on her face, lightly brushing her high cheek bones. The admiration in his eyes was almost as beautiful as their color. It was true, and strong, and beautiful…

"I'll ask you one more time…are you okay?"

"No. No, actually. I'm not okay.", AnnaBeth said softly, closing her eyes. She sighed through her nose, before opening them again and looking to the left of Cas' face, "I mean…this was all over for me. Sam took Lucifer to Hell. He took my powers with him, and I lost everything. I had actually come to grips with that. I spend one night…being normal. I spend one night, doing something totally out of the cards, and it sparks an idea for more angels to come after me. So…no…I'm not okay…"

Castiel's eyes smiled, before he brushed her hair behind her ear and sighed, "That's what I thought. You should be afraid. Raphael won't stop…until you're dead, and Lucifer is free. You should know, however, that I will not let him touch a hair on your head. I have a way to defeat him. I have a way…to end this, and I'll take you to heaven…and you can be safe, and human…and free from all of this…"

AnnaBeth shook her head, "But that's not what I would want. I'm the Boy King runner up, remember? I'm really doubting that the other angels would take me in, as well as you have. I mean, I'm surprised that Dean hasn't already put a bullet in my head."

"He thought about it…", Castiel blurted out, his social skills slipping up, again, "But…you remind him of Sam. For that, he couldn't justify making an exception for one, if not for all…"

"Thanks for the literal interpretation, Cas…", she smiled, finding the motion strained, "I mean, I don't think I belong up there…"

"So, you believe that you belong in Hell?"

"I don't. There are too many demons in Hell that, if given a chance, would rip me apart in front of Lucifer, just in spite of his protection of me. If he was free. If he reigned alone, and I was powerful, then maybe…", AnnaBeth said, as if it was the most rational thought she had said in years.

"I don't believe that…", Castiel whispered with a frown on his face, clearly offended, "You…are too good to fall to Lucifer's feet. He is NOT your father…he just played the role, long enough to pull you away from Sam."

"Don't talk about him like he's trash...Please. Lucifer did so much…WAS so much, to me. You wouldn't understand."

"Wouldn't understand? I wouldn't understand. Lucifer was a brother to all Angels. What he did…was…", Cas started.

"Was no different from how you fell…", AnnaBeth said quickly. She wanted nothing to do with the conversation. Even Mika knew to avoid it, because even Mika knew what Lucifer had meant to her. He created her. He watched over her the entire time he was on Earth, and if truth was told, he was still commanding the demons that were after her, in Hell.

"How can you say that?", Cas asked her in a hurt voice.

"The things that happened that day, to Sam...to Mika…you and Bobby...they were terrible. That doesn't mean…", AnnaBeth couldn't come up with the right words to plea her case. Everything she attempted to come up with, to defend Lucifer…was wrong. Lucifer would have done no good. He was the father, who was loved, despite his wrong-doings, and it was the worst feeling in the world.

"You can't defend him. I know…the love you had for him. We all felt the pain…the loss, when Lucifer rebelled. When God cast him down, it was a sad day, in Heaven. Many of the lesser angels fell behind him, because they couldn't handle his absence, and a few of them are the demons that followed him closest. I'm sorry, but…you don't belong by his side. You're too…good.."

AnnaBeth stared at Castiel's face. That was the first time those words were ever said to her. It was the first time that anyone had made her think of her soul in any other way but damned. Even Dean, was convinced of her damnation, because of what happened to Sam, and all of Azazel's other children.

"I'm sorry if I've offended you…", Castiel said softly, attempting to judge her facial expression, while his remained blank.

"No…you just…No one has ever said I was…good…", she whispered.

"Such a small gesture…", Cas started, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Can change everything…", AnnaBeth replied, giving a small smile, before sitting on the edge of the couch, where she soon drifted off to sleep without realizing it. She woke up to the smell of coffee and bacon drifting through the house. Looking around, she noticed Bobby sitting at his desk, reading over an old book. She looked down at her chest, and noticed that she was covered with something.

"So, Cas came by last night…", Bobby said in a drone, and obviously sleepy voice, "He have anything to say?"

AnnaBeth groaned a bit, sitting up and removing her 'blanket', "How did you know that he…", looking down, she picked up Castiel's trenchcoat off of her lap, and held it to her chest, with a dreamy look on her face.

"Are you gonna start sniffin' the thing next? You look like you just found a lock of Justin Timberlake's hair…", Bobby grumbled, taking a drink of his coffee, "What did Cas want?"

"He wanted to warn me about the Arch angels…"

"Like, Arch angel Arch angels? What about 'em?", Bobby asked, now looking at her.

"They want me…"


End file.
